roaming labourers

Recently I made a comment on bachelors (primarily laborers) moving into residential neighbourhoods of Sharjah by the hordes - within the community blog. I received some flak for my comment - as it was perceived by some as "insensitive".

I have the following to state to those fellow bloggers and all else who care to listen:

We've see huge scary looking buses, which carry the less fortunate souls drive pretty recklessly across the narrow (well kept) lanes of some Sharjah residential neighbourhoods. The buses drop off the labour folks - mostly in the evenings. This is the time moms & toddlers are out playing or out for walks in the neighbourhood and parks.

I am infuriated - sincerely infuriated by the fact we now have hundreds of labourers roaming about these well kept and perhaps some of the older neighbourhoods of Sharjah. I am upset these men stop and stare at the women and leave all sorts of debris - sandwich wraps, coke cans and plastic water bottles, once they move on. I am upset these men feel it is alright to tress pass into a private garden and pick flowers and more. This might seem totally harmless - but this is new to me. I have not seen so many people (not with the best hygiene or education or awareness) walk into my garden and neighbourhood parks (all pretty harmless) on their way home from work.

It's not comfortable or safe from any perspective, and it's not just me who thinks this way. My neighbourhood is made of up people from varied backgrounds - there are Emaraties, various Arabs, Indians, Pakistanis and a few EU's. Everyone feel rather bolted - by the new "roaming labourers" and completely crazy buss drivers.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for labour rights and treating them humanely etc all. However I cannot just stand and watch the neighbourhood I've grown up in, turn into some horrible & unsafe place.

Most of the residents have lived here for 3 to 4 decades and along with Sharjah municipality we've all done our pennyworth to keep the place, clean, safe and developed. Hence it hurts and causes much discomfort to have these new visitors - who neither care for the cleanliness or safety of the residents. Call me cold - I don't care. This is my home, and my neighbourhood. All those who've lived here for decades have worked hard to keep it a safe, clean and a wonderful place to live.

I realize the souls are returning after hard day's work - but come on, there has to be better a alternative - such as low income and affordable housing, perhaps not within certain neighbourhoods of Sharjah. I don't want to see a lovely 3 bedroom home, down the road turned into a labour camp with about 30 men living in it!! This is one of the reasons why I feel affordable housing perhaps in the outskirts of the city is a viable option.

This moved me

Whilst casually browsing blogs I came across this wonderfully written post by BD (link below) -it highlights the plight of labourers, mainly in Dubai.

http://supportlaborers.blogspot.com/2006/12/view-from-abroad-simple-reality-here.html

From personal experience - Christmas 2005, overheard a prospective client at my dad's tiny financial consulting practice doing the "math" - the inhumane math, which included provisions for possible "cash flow gains" - gains if a labourer fell sick or broke an arm, hence didn't show up for work - gains if the labourer missed his ride that day to work - and then some more inhumane math.

I remember, butting into my dad's office - having a heated discussion with an inhumane mathematician. I was stunned to learn he (an Indian) was a labour supply contractor - scheduled to bring in unsuspecting souls from his own hometown???? After much debate with the fool (a sorry loser of a soul) - my dad threw me out of his office for being stupid & unprofessional- and then the mathematician - bless my dad.

It's all quite sad - there was a time this nation & it's natives were known for hospitality - both, to the haves & have not’s. If you'd want to experience selfless & very giving hospitality, you should "have lived" in the UAE. There wasn't much then, however it seemed we had a lot and was content. Very few/none suffered this way - none/little was exploited as today. This is primarily why I keep saying - I miss the old UAE - the real UAE - it was the way how things "should be".

I just wanted to say thanks for writing this piece BD. There is inhumane exploitation by the middleman - the already filthy rich. Most of 'em are foreign contractors, some are fellow countrymen of these helpless victims. - perhaps, in each of our own small way - we can help the government and the powers-that-be bring about positive change for the future?